More of a fluff chapter, but hey, gotta have those. Thanks to all my reviewers again, and fav...ers?

-YSendo

Chapter 14

Yuumei followed her compass and settled under the tree Hiei was sitting in. Hiei didn't move or even open his eyes from his perch as he growled out, "What do you want?"

Yuumei just curled her legs against her and wrapped her arms around herself. She didn't reply. After a long silence, Hiei started getting curious. Why would the woman seek him out if she didn't have anything to say? He opened his eyes and glanced down at her.

He realized that she looked very melancholy. He sat back up and closed his eyes, but couldn't sleep anymore. It felt as though her sadness simply penetrated his brain and wouldn't leave. Hiei hopped down to the ground and frowned at her. She didn't look up.

At last, she reacted as he sat down beside her. "Everything internal, except my brain and heart, is demon."

Hiei narrowed his eyes at her before smirking, "You thought I was joking." It was a statement.

"I hoped you were," Yuumei admitted. Hiei said in a deadpanned voice, "I do not joke."

"I am human, I was born human; but because of this," Yuumei put a hand on her stomach, "I can't be human."

"You should be glad," Hiei said angrily as he stood up, "you are not fully a part of that miserable race."

He walked away, his squared shoulders were a clear warning to not follow him. He watched her with his jagan eye, however. He watched her expression fall. He saw her eyes slide away from him. He saw her hold onto herself tighter. He knew she wanted some sort of comfort. He knew that even an encouraging word would make her okay. Yet he walked away. He walked away cursing himself for wanting to turn back.

Hiei found himself a nice tree halfway across town, but the distance didn't make him feel any better. Some lonely part of him understood what she was going through. She wasn't just different anymore, she was a monster in her own eyes; but the rational part of Hiei, the cold, sophisticated part, just wanted to yell at her to get over it. Her life will never be the same. Learn to live with it, he sent to her, although he never allowed the words to form in her head. Instead, he sensed her emotions, her confusion, as a single thought kept echoing in her mind: I'm a monster.

It was Kurama who sought him out next, with determination on his face and a first aid kit in his hand. "Hiei?" he asked firmly, nodding at the demon when he appeared.

Hiei scowled at the first aid kit, knowing that the fox saw his blood. The blood of a wound he received for his recklessness. The wound didn't want to close up, even after several hours, but Hiei refused to call it a problem. Last thing he needed was a tricky fox, or an agitated woman, to point it out to him.

"How did it happen?" Kurama asked as he tried to pull at Hiei's tunic. Hiei shoved his friend's hands from his person with a grunt in reply. Kurama frowned.

Hiei avoided his eyes but allowed the fox an answer, "The little bastard was fast, and quiet. He hid and I…" Hiei stopped, this time slapping away the persistant hands. "I'm fine," he growled out.

Kurama sighed and stood back, allowing Hiei his pride. He did, however, ask the short demon to accompany him to a dinner that Yukina is throwing for everyone. Hiei held a refusal on the end of his tongue, but instead bit his tongue and nodded. He was growing hungry, after all.

When Hiei and Kurama arrived, Yukina greeted them cheerfully, informing them politely that they were right on time. They approached the table and noticed two empty spots. One between an overly talkative Botan and a bored to tears Yusuke, the other between Yuumei, who seemed very unhappy to be there, and Keiko, who glared at Yusuke half the time. Hiei looked between the two spots and the windowsill behind Koenma (who sat at the end of the table); he caught his sister's eye and she smiled brilliantly at him. Hiei nodded to her stiffly. I can't insult her, he thought bitterly, and that left him with the two choices. Normally, he would avoid a seat next to the ferry woman like a plague, but seating himself next to Yuumei would only cause tension. As Hiei contemplated his choices, Kurama ended up making the choice for him, by settling down next to Botan with a smile.

Uncomfortable with being the only one not sitting (and everyone was starting to stare at him), Hiei slid into the only available chair. Keiko greeted him with a meek 'hello,' while Yuumei flashed a brief, forced smile. Hiei couldn't resist glancing at her, just to see if she's fine now. She was eating slowly, carefully chewing her food, her eyes slightly glazed, when she noticed him. She turned her head, staring at him full on.

He inhaled sharply, his eyes widened a fraction, but Hiei locked his jaw and stared back, refusing to be intimidated. They stared at each other, for a mere moment enchanted. Then, Yuumei tapped a finger against her head, hoping he would get the hint. That made Hiei snap back into reality. He turned back to his food, and for a moment Yuumei was afraid she scared him off, but then she felt the tingle in her brain and she formed a thought, testing the connection, Are you all right?

I should ask you that question, she heard Hiei remark dryly in her head.

Yuumei let a frown slip on her face, But you won't, will you?

Hiei didn't reply, in part because he sensed the question saddened her and a commotion arose at the table. It was Botan.

"Lord Koenma, what were Yuumei's results?" she asked light-heartedly, hoping to stop the silence around the table. Beside him, Hiei felt Yuumei stiffen.

That little…! Yuumei worked to control her anger; after all, Botan didn't know what happened, only that Yuumei was taken back for testing. But the results were Yuumei's, not Koenma's to give out.

She started clenching her fist under the table, a fork in hand. But when a odd, comforting warmth enveloped her hand, she looked at her hand, anger forgotten. "You talk too much, woman." Hiei growled across the table at Botan, thankful that the table hid his hand on Yuumei's. Now if only the brunette would stop looking at him like he grew another head…It was getting hard to keep the color from his cheeks.